Challenge Partners

We know you’re focused on your app right now, but don't forget about your submission video — it's often the first thing that judges and voters view!

A good video tells the story behind your submission, providing a clear and concise explanation of what your app is and does. Read on for tips on making yours great:

Establish your elevator pitch. In the first few seconds of your video, explain why your app is awesome. You can get into the details of how it works later on in the video, but treat the opening seconds of your video as you would a movie trailer or TV ad: pique your audience’s interest.

Show, don't tell. Demonstrate your app's functionality and features through screencasts. Explaining what it does and how it works helps judges and voters understand and appreciate your product design. New to screencasts? Check out this list of screencasting tools.

Keep it simple. Per the official rules, your video shouldn't be much longer than five minutes. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do."

Uploading takes time. Don't wait until the last minute to upload your video. Due to file size, format, and your Internet connection, uploading a video to YouTube or Vimeo could take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Get organized. Write out a script of what you’ll say and demonstrate in your video and rehearse it before recording.